Cleaning shrimp and plants only tank

[brennae]

So I have 4 shrimp in my Fluval Spec 3. It hold maybe a gallon and then take out for sand and a ton of plants. How often do I need to do a pwc when it's just shrimp and no fish? I thought I read somewhere to just change like 10% of the water at a time because shrimp are sensitive. These aren't the really expensive kind of shrimp. I think they are all neos or maybe I have it backwards.

Also for the tanks with shrimp and fish both adult and fry should I siphon with a small sized siphon with netting over it? That's what I usually do to avoid sucking up the guppy fry.

Keeping shrimp is new for me so I'm just not 100% on what needs to be done especially in a shrimp only tank. Where there are fish and shrimp I will follow my normal fish tank procedure.

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[brennae]

Perhaps this helps. FTS with 7lb cat to show size. (I like to show off my cats too). Oh and I'm topping off fairly often since the cats think this is a drinking fountain.

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[Nils]

Lol nice cat.

So your question is how do you go about cleaning it? I would just use a regular siphon honestly, that's white do in my 5.5. Once you get berried shrimp and little babies everywhere its harder to do because you're trying not to suck up the little tiny baby shrimp. I just siphon from the way top, not in the plants or close to the bottom. I also leave anything that falls on the substrate because all of my shrimp like to graze on that kind of stuff. I do weekly 50% PWC's and and have never had a problem. Hope this helps

 

[brennae]

Yes that helps. I did have 2 berried shrimp and now they arent. Not sure what's in the tank as far as shrimplets. I will take from the top then.

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[TheresaM]

Lol nice cat.

So your question is how do you go about cleaning it? I would just use a regular siphon honestly, that's white do in my 5.5. Once you get berried shrimp and little babies everywhere its harder to do because you're trying not to suck up the little tiny baby shrimp. I just siphon from the way top, not in the plants or close to the bottom. I also leave anything that falls on the substrate because all of my shrimp like to graze on that kind of stuff. I do weekly 50% PWC's and and have never had a problem. Hope this helps

That's pretty much what I do. The bioload is small in these tanks so it's really a matter of WCs to maintain quality rather then a big gravel vac.

 

[Hunter73]

Sometimes I use a net zip tied over the end of my siphon to keep critters from going for a ride.